Conveying apparatus.



E. S. SAVAGE.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

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CONVEYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man JAN. 16. 1911.

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E. S. SAVAGE.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.16,1911.

Patented Dec. 25, 1917'.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I6. 19H.

S. SAVAGE.

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EDWARD S. SAVAGE, 0F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

Application filed January 16, 1917.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD S. SAVAGE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to conveying apparatus and more particularly to the type in which a carriage travels on a way and has a load sustaining device connected to a wheel o-r wheels of the carriage to drive the latter in one direction under a load imposed on the load sustaining means, the movement in the other direction being obtained from energy stored up upon the movement of the carriage underl the load, an object of this invention being to prevent slippage between the drive wheel of the carriage and the way on which the carriage travels, so that the load sustaining means will be returned to its initial position with reference to the carriage when the latter returnsto a starting position. Another object of the invention is to provide a conveying apparatus of the class described in which the way is inclined and the load sustaining means receives the load automatically at the lower portion of the way and discharges the same automatically at the upper portion ofthe way, to return by gravity to the lower portion, so that the operation of the apparatus is continuous as long as material is fed to the load sustaining means. A further object of the invention is to provide for detaining the carriage against movement until such time as a desired load shall have been imposed upon the load sustaiuirgmeans.

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 shows 4one embodiment of the invention in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of another embodiment of the invention; y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional vie-w of the embodiment shown in Fig-1, showing the carriage and the load sustaining means at the lower portion of the way;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line i- 1, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side view, partially in sec- Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1917.

SeriaI No. 142,623;

tion, of another embodiment of the invention; i'

Fig. 6 is a detail view ofthe embodiment shown in Fig. 5, showing the detaining means and its connection with the hopper or feeding means;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the carriage shown in Fig.4 5, the track being shown in section;

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the track or way employed in Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of -another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 10 -is an end view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 9.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, the way 1 is in the form of an inclined track supported at one end by a standard or upright i and at the other endby a standard or upright 5, eachof said standards rising from a base 6 and being held iirmly thereto by a brace 7 Arranged to travel on the track or way is a carriage 18 preferably supported by two wheels 19 and 20 and having mounted thereon a load sustaining device, in this instance in the form of a bucket 26.

This load sustaining device has a driving connection with one or more of the wheels of the carriage so that when a load is imposed upon the load sustaining device the wheel or wheels will be caused to turn and the carriage will be caused to travel along the way. Any suitable driving connection may be employed, that shown being in the form of two iieXible connections 24 passed about drum extensions 23 on the shaft 22of the wheel or ypulley 201and guided at 25 in the carriage, the bucket 26 being suspended from said connections, and a springQY or other yielding device being interposed between each connection and the Vbucket in' order that the bucket may partake of a movement relatively to the connections, fork the lpurpose of releasing the carriage after the bucket has been filled, as will be more fully hereinafter described.

It is desirable to prevent slippage between the carriageand the way so that the load sustaining device will be returned to normal` position when lthe carriage returns to starting position, and with this purpose in view, means is employed comprising, in this instance, a toothed portion 21 on the pulley or wheel 20 engaging a rack on the way l, said way, in this instance, being tubular in form and having openings 2 in the top surface thereof in which the teeth 21 operate, and inclined faces 3 being provided on opposite sides of the openings to prevent the accumulation of dirt or other matter on the way.

For feeding the load sustaining means, a feeding mechanism is employed at the lower portion of the way. This feeding mechanism in this instance comprises a hopper having an upper detachable portion 8 provided with a screen 10 and a lower stationary portion 9 supported upon the standard 4, said standard being in channel form and having its upper end split to provide tongues 11 which are secured to the hopper section 9. A discharge spout 12 is provided on the section 9 and lies within the channel of the standard 4, the lower end of this spout being closed by a valve 17 which may be mounted on a movable chute 13, the latter discharging into the bucket or load sustaining device 26 when the said device is at the lower portion of the way. 1n this instance, the chute 13 is mounted on a lever 14 pivoted at 16 and carrying a weight 15 which tends normally to shift the chute 13 in order to bring the valve 17 to a position to close the discharge spout 12 of the feeding mechanism. TWhen the carriage reaches the lower portion of the way, it engages the hook or detent end of the lever 1a by means of the deflected shoulder 29 on the carriage, thus shifting the chute 13 to open the valve 17, as shown in Fig. 3. At the same time, the detent 28 coperates with said shoulder 29 and holds the carriage 13 against movement until a suiiicient load has been delivered to the load sustaining device or bucket 26, after which the bail 2Sa of the bucket 26 coperates with the detent 28 to move the latter out of the path of the abutment 29, so that the weight of the load will drive the wheel 2O and-cause the carriage to travel up the inclined way 1.

For the purpose of automatically discharging the load at the upper end of the inclined way, the standard 5 is arranged so as to engage a latch 32 mounted on the bucket 29C, thus freeing the swinging edge of the bucket bottom 29c which is hinged at 30 and permitting the weight of the contents of the bucket to open the bottom. As the contents leave the bottom, they are directed upon a deliector 32 beneath which a receptacle 31 is movably arranged to receive the discharge material, after which the bucket bottom 29c closes under the action of the spring 31.

he embodiment shown in Fig. 2 diiers from that shown in Fig. 1, in having a iixed chute 132l and a separate closing valve 17al pivotedL to the upright 4t at 17 b and having an extension 28a which engages a shoulder 29a on the carriage 18. The connections 24 are rigidly connected to the bucket 26 instead of being resiliently connected thereto. The operation of this embodiment is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, except that the detaining device 23L is frictionally operated and requires that the weight in the bucket shall attain a certain amount before the friction between the shoulder 29 and the detaining device 28a is overcome, after which the carriage proceeds and returns as before; and the valve 17a closes with the release of the carriage and opens upon the return of the carriage. rIliis embodiment, like that shown in Fig. 1, is designed more especially as a toy for the amusement of children.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 5 to 7 is designed more particularly for practical purposes where it is desired to convey material from one point to another without the employment of any engine or motor. 1n this embodiment also the material may be held in a hopper 9b having a discharge 12b which in this instance is controlled by a slide valve 17C connected by a link 17d to one arm ef the bell-crank lever 17e, the latter being pivoted at 17 f and carrying a carriage detaining device 28b on its other arm. The track or way 1b is formed preferably by a channel bar or beam supported in au inclined position and having the flange upon which the wheel runs provided with openings 2b or any other suitable rack. The car- 18" is differently shaped and has two g 19" and 201 thereon traveling on the way 1, the wheel 2Ob having gear teeth 21b meshing with the upper surface of the track or way. A gear wheel 20C is arranged on the shaft of the wheel 2Ob and meshes with a large gear 2Od on a shaft 22D which has two drums 23b thereon around which the cables or iexible connectors 24h are wound, said cables being resiliently connected to the bucket 26b by springs 27b so that the bucket may move relatively to the cables or flexible connections 24h, in order to bring a stop 2SC on the bucket into engagement with an extension 281 on the detaining member to release the carriage. The stop 28C is preferably adjustably mounted at 28e so that the time at which the portion 28c will contact with the portion 28b may be varied, thus making it possible to release the carriage when any desired weight is imposed fupon the dumping bucket. The dumping bucket has a bottom 29b hinged at 30h and held normally closed by a spring 31h, a latch 32b serving to engage the free or swinging end of the bottom to retain the latter in closed position until it is released as the bucket reaches the upper end of the way, this release being `preferably effected automatically as in the other embodiment. A bumper may be arranged at theV lower end of the track or way shown in Figs. 5 to 7, and this bumper may comprise a plunger 35 guided in a block 36 clamped .to the track or way, a spring 37 being interposed between the head of the plunger and the block. This block may also serve as a support for a spring 38 which acts on the arm 17e of the bell-crank lever to automatically close the valve 17C after the carriage has been released by the detaining device 281. The shoulder 29f on the carriage 18b coperates with the inclined portion 28d on the detaining device 28b to open the valve 17b and compress the spring38. The operation of this embodiment is generally the same as that set forth relating to the one shown in Fig. 1, the difference mainly being that the construction and arrangement of part-s are varied with the idea of giving greater strength and durability to the apparatus.

Figs. 9 and 10 show another embodimentof the invention, this embodiment having the energy 4stored in a weight and employing a horizontal instead of an inclined way or track. The carriage is driven in one direction by the load which at `the same time stores up energy in the weight to be utilized for driving the carriage in the opposite direction. Referring more `particularly to the drawings showing this embodiment, 50 indicates the track or way preferably in the form of an I beam with the upper flange thereof provided with openings in order to form a rack. Acarriage 51 has wheels 52 and 53 arranged to travel on the upper flange of the beam, the wheel 53 having teeth 5i which prevent slippage between the wheel and the way 50. The bucket 55 or other load sustaining device may be resiliently connected by springs 56 to chains or other flexible-connectors 57, which establish driving connection with the wheel 53 by means of sprocket wheels 58 on a shaft 59, the latter carrying a gear wheel 60 which, in turn, meshes with a pinion 61 on the shaft of the wheel 53. The sprocket chains 57 extend horizontally from the sprocket wheel 58 and thence downwardly from sprocket wheels 62 also mounted on the carriage 51, the lower ends of said chains being connected to a weight 63. It is apparent that a load imposed on the bucket 55 will elevate the weight 63'to store energytherein and at the same time drive the wheel 53 of the carriage so as to cause the latter to move in one direction along the track or way 50, and that, when the load is discharged from the load sustaining device 55, the weight 63 will act to return the bucket to its normal .position relatively to the carriage, and at the same time will cause the carriage to travel in the opposite direction along the track 50.

The feeding of material to the bucket or load sustaining device of the embodiment shown in Figs. 9 and 10 may be effected in any suitable manner, as for instance, by the method illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, and for this reason this mechanism will not be described in detail, but the same reference characters will be applied to this mechanismas applied to like parts in Fig. 5. The discharge o-f the bucket 50 may be effected by any suitable means, such as a stationary stop coperating with vthe latch 321 to release the Vbottom 29b in the same manner as in the other embodiments.

A general statement of the operation of one embodiment will show the operations of the other embodiments, and, for this reason, thestatement of Athe operation will be confined to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in full lines in such ligure, and the hopper 8 to be filled with sand or other suitable material, the latter will flow into the dumping bucket 26 until the cross piece 28u on the bucket depresses the detent 28 out of engagement .with the shoulder 29, the bucket moving relatively to the cables 2i due to the yielding of the springs 27. Upon the freeing ofthe carriage 18, the latter ascends the way 1 due to the weight of the material in the bucket acting, through the driving connections 23 and 2i, to t-urn the wheel 20. This travel of the carriage 18 continues until the latch 32 contacts with the upright 5 and frees the bottom 29c to permit the contents to openthe latter so as to be discharged upon the deiiector 33 and thence to the receptacle 34. Upon the discharge of the bucket 26, the carriage 18 descends the track 2 under its own weight, and, at the same time, elevates the bucket through the driving connections 23 and 24e. The discharge from the hopper 8, 9 is closed by the valve 17 when the carriage 18 is freed from the detent and is opened by the engagement of said shoulder 29 with the free end of the detent 28 upon the return of the carriage to its normal position.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a conveying apparatus in which the load sustaining means drives the carriage along a way in one direction, and during such movement stores up energy which is utilizedfor returning the carriage to its normal or starting position, there being means preventing a slippage of the carriage onthe way, sothat the load sustaining means is always returned to its initial position on the carriage. Means has also been provided for automatically feeding a load sustaining device at the lower end of an inclined way, combined with means for automatically discharging said device at the upper end of the way, so that the operation of the conveying apparatus is continuous as long as material is fed to the load sustaining device. There is also provided means which detains or holds the carriage against movement until a certain load has been imposed on the `load sustaining device, after which the carriage is automatically released and moves to discharge the contents of the load sustaining device. The invention is capable in use either as a toy for the amusement of the children, or as a practical apparatus for conveying material from one point to another without the use of a motor or engine.

lVhat l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. Conveying apparatus comprising a way, a wheel movable along the way, a load sustaining' device carried with said wheel having a driving connection with the wheel to move the latter in one direction along the way under the weight of a load imposed upon the load sustaining device, and to store up energy to return the wheel to starting position on the way, and means tor preventing slipping between the wheel and the way so that the load sustaining device will be returned to its initial position with reference to the wheel when the latter returns to starting position.

2. Conveying apparatus comprising an inclined way, a wheel movable downwardly on the way under the action of gravity, a load sustaining device carried by said wheel and having' a drivingl connection with the wheel to move the latter upwardly on the way under the action of a load imposed on the load sustaining device, and means for preventing the slipping ot the wheel on the way so that the load sustaining device will be returned to its initial position with relation to the wheel when the latter moves downwardly to starting position under the action of gravity.

3. Conveying apparatus comprising a way, a wheel movable on the way, means to prevent slippage between the way and the wheel, and load sustaining means movable relatively to the aXis of the wheel and having driving connection with the latter to cause it on such relative movement to travel along the way and to store up energy to return the wheel to starting position on the way.

4L. Conveying apparatus comprising a way, a wheel movable along the way, load sustaining means movable relatively to the axis of the wheel and having driving connection with the latter to cause it on such relative movement to travel along the way and to store up energy to return the wheel to starting position on the way, and load controlled means for holding the wheel against movement along the track.

5. Conveying apparatus comprising an inclined way, a wheel movable along the way, load sustaining means movable relatively to the axis of the wheel and having driving connection with the latter to cause it on such relative movement to travel along the way and to store up energy to return the wheel to starting position on the way, and

means for automatically discharging the load when the wheel reaches a certain position on the way.

G. Conveying apparatus comprising a way, a wheel movable along the way, load susaining means movable relatively to the axis oi' the wheel and having driving connection with the latter to cause it on such relative movement to travel along the way and to store up energy to return the wheel to starting position on the way, means for automatically supplying a load to the load sustaining means while the wheel is at one portion of the way, and means for effecting the automatic discharge of the load as the latter reaches another portion of the way.

7. Conveying apparatus comprising an inclined way, a carriage having a wheel to travel thereon, load sustaining means having driving connection with said wheel to move the carriage upwardly on the way, and a detent for holding the carriage at the lower end of the way and controlled by the load sustaining means to release the carriage when a certain load is imposed on the load sustaining means.

8. Conveying apparatus comprising an inclined way, a carriage having a wheel to travel thereon, load sustaining means having driving connection with said wheel, means for automatically feeding said load sustaining means as the carriage reaches the lower portion of said way, and means for eliecting the automatic discharge of the load sustaining .means as the carriage'reaches the upper portion of the way.

9, Conveying apparatus comprising an inclined way, a carriage having a wheel. to travel thereon, a bucket, driving mechanism for said wheel having the bucket sustained thereby, a hopper arranged to discharge material into the bucket while the latter is at the lower portion of the way, and a valve tor controlling such supply.

l0. Conveying apparatus comprising an inclined way, a carriage having a wheel to travel thereon, a bucket, driving mechanism for said carriage having the bucket sustained thereby, a hopper arranged to discharge material into the bucket while the latter is at the lower portion of the way, a valve for controlling such supply, and a detent for holding the carriage against movement while the latter is at the lower portion of the way, connected to the valve to close the latter as the carriage is released,

il. Conveying apparatus comprising a way, a carriage mounted to travel thereon, a load sustaining device, driving mechanism for said carriage having the load sustaining device connected thereto, a resilient connection between the load sustaining device and the driving mechanism permitting the load sustaining device to move relatively to said mechanism, and a detent for the carriage controlled by the load sustaining device when the latter moves relatively to the driving mechanism, to release the carriage.

12. Conveying apparatus comprising an inclined Way, a carriage having a Wheel to travel thereon, a drum connected to said Wheel, a i'iexible connector extending about the drum While the carriage is situated at the lower portion of the Way, a bucket suspended from said connector, and means for automatically discharging the contents of the bucket when the carriage reaches the upper portion of the Way.

13, Conveying apparatus comprising an inclined Way, a carriage having a Wheel to travel thereon, driving mechanism for said Wheel, a bucket suspended from said driving mechanism, resilient means interposed betvveen the bucket and the driving mechanism permitting the former to move relatively to the latter, a detent for holding the carriage against movement at the lower portion of the way, a hopper for supplying material to the bucket While the latter is at the lower portion of the Way, and a valve for controlling the supply to the bucket on the hopper,

said valve being connected to the detent to be closed when the latter releases the carriage.

let. Conveying apparatus comprising an inclined Way, a carriage arranged to travel on said Way, a bucket on said carriage, a detent for holding the carriage against movement, a hopper for supplying material to the bucket While the latter is at one end of the Way, and a valve controlling said supply and having connection with said detent independently of the carriage to control the closing of the valve When the detent releases the carriage.

l5. Conveying apparatus comprising an inclined Way, a carriage arranged to travel on said Way, a bucket on said carriage, a detent for holding the carriage against movement, a hopper for supplying material to the bucket When the latter is at one end of the Way, a chute mounted on the detent and interposed between the hopper and the bucket when the latter is at one end of the Way, and a valve carried by the chute and closed when the detent releases the carriage.

EDWARD S. SAVAGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

